Wednesday, August 13, 2014

This is the second post in the WWI Centennial series. The
series is focused on where were members of my family living on August 5, 1914 when
they learned war had been declared in Europe. What thoughts may they have had?
How were they impacted? I hope this series of blog posts around the WWI Centennial
will be both interesting and informative for the reader.

The second family to be featured will be Anthony Murosky Sr. and his wife Eva Zielinski my 2nd great grandparents.

Immigrants Anthony Murosky Sr. and his wife Eva were living
in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania when they learned war had been declared in Europe. It has been 22 years since Anthony left Europe and 20 years since Eva left Europe. Census
records indicate that Anthony arrived in 1892 and Eva in 1984. The couple
married in 1894. Historical records indicate
the couple was living in Forest City when their oldest son Anthony was born in
1889. Details of their passage from
Europe are unknown at this time. My grandfather told me the family lineage was
Lithuanian. The census records record the place of birth for Anthony and Eva as
“Russ-Polish” before the WWI and “Lithuania” after WWI.

It is plausible the Anthony and Eva were born in modern day Lithuania possibly along the border of Poland. Both
Lithuania and the eastern portions of Poland would have been part of the
Russian Empire in 1910. Lithuania was restored when portions of
eastern European lands were stripped from the Russian. The Second Polish
Republic was formed from the lands Russian and Prussia had annexed in the
partitions of Poland in the late 1700’s. It is currently unknown where Anthony and Eva were
living prior to departing Europe.

The 1910 United States Federal Census recorded the family living
at 128 Delaware Street, Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The
census indicates the family was renting this house. The 1920 United States
Federal Census recorded the family living at 408 Main Street, Forest City,
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The census indicates the family was renting
this house.

The Murosky family residences in Forest City

The household would likely have included:

Head Anthony Sr., age 51

Wife Eva, age 44

Son Anthony,
age 24, (my great great-grandfather)

Son Joseph,
age 14

Son Gustave
Joseph, age 15

Son William,
age 12

Daughter
Esther, age 5

Son Charles,
age 1

Anthony and Eva
also lost an infant son Frank in 1907. The 1910 census indicates that Eva was the
mother of 9 children and only 5 were living. If this information is accurate
there are three additional children that are not recorded in historical
documents located to date.

The couple’s
oldest daughter Margaret, age 23, married John Chanis a Lithuanian immigrant in
1914. According to his naturalization
record for citizenship John was born July 25, 1895 in Vilna, Lithuania. Margaret
may or may not have been living in the household with her parents in August of
1914.

By 1914 the family was well established in the community. Forest City had a thriving Lithuanian population. Many of these immigrants also attended the same church. Anthony Sr. and his son-in-law John Chanis were working in the coal mines. The oldest son Anthony was also likely employed working in the coal mines. The 1920 census records Anthony Jr. as a motorman in the coal mines.

The 1910
census indicates that both Anthony Sr. was able to read and write English. Eva is
recorded as unable to read and write English. The 1910 census also indicates
that Anthony, Sr. had not applied for citizenship and his status
was recorded as “alien.”

After
learning war had been declared Anthony and Eva may have pondered the impact their
hometowns. Russian troops would have to travel through
Lithuania to reach the border with Prussia held territory. The western potions of Lithuania
also bordered Prussian lands. They each may have been worried about the
families they left behind 20 years earlier. Each would have realized their nephews of age
were likely to be called to serve in the Russian Army.

U.S., Naturalization
Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts of the Middle District of
Pennsylvania, 1906-1930, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA);
Middle District Court of Pennsylvania, District Court; National Archives and
Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Record for John Chanis

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

On the evening of August 4, 1914 Great Britain declared war
on Germany. The result was a long war with lasting consequences that would
change the world. The war was one of the most deadly conflicts in history
resulting in more than 9 million casualties. Great Briton lost its prominence
as the leading world nation. The United States began assent as a world power.
The war resulted in a tragic ending for the Russian monarchy when Czar Nicolas
II, his wife and children were executed by the Bolsheviks. Other members of the
Russian monarchy were also murdered. Those who survived lived in exile for the
rest of their lives. Russia was forced to cede large tracks of land in the
Ukraine and the Crimea – areas that remain in conflict today. Prussia became a free state when Kaiser Wilhelm
II abdicated his throne. The Treaty of
Versailles broke up much of the Prussian empire – territory was ceded to
Belgium, Lithuania and portions of Czechoslovakia. The Second Polish Republic was formed from
the lands Prussia had annexed in the partitions of Poland in the late 1700’s.

Earlier this week I found myself wondering – where were
members of my family living on August 5, 1914 when they learned war had been
declared in Europe. What thoughts may they have had? How were they impacted? I
hope this series of blog posts around the WWI Centennial will be both
interesting and informative for the reader.

The first family to be featured will be my 2nd great grandparent -Vincinety Frank
Bukowski and his wife Franciska Kwiatkowski.

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and his wife Franciska had been
living in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania for 19 years when they woke up to the
news that war had been declared in Europe. The couple arrived at Ellis Island
May 1, 1895 with three small children. They had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on
the Noorland. The census and other
historical documents indicate the family was living in “Germany” before the WWI
and “Poland” after WWI. This likely
indicates the family was living on the Prussian or German side of the Polish
partition. The city where they were living prior to departure is currently
unknown.

The couple’s oldest daughters were living in Erie,
Pennsylvania with their spouses in close proximity to their parents. The families
would have been able to walk between houses.

The Bukowski family residences in 1914

The oldest daughter TeoFila, age 25, was living with her
husband Frank Gaczkowski and two small children. Arthur was 3 and Dorothy was
2. The 1914 City of Erie Directory indicates the couple was living at 705
E. 10th Street. Frank was
working as a constable.

The second daughter Catherine age 23, was living with her
husband Joseph Zelazny. The couple had lost their first baby Frank who was born
October 4, 1911. Daughter Irene was born in 1912. The 1914 City of Erie
Directory indicates the couple, recorded as
“Zelazny, Stanislaus, was living
at 425 E. 13th street.

The 1914 City of Erie Directory indicates that Vincinety and
Franciska were living at 720 East 15th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania. The remaining
children were still living with them in August of 1914. The household would have
included:

Son William,
age 20 is also listed in the 1914 city of Erie directory as Boleslaus living
with his parents.

Son John,
age 17

Son Gustave
Joseph, age 15

Daughter
Helen Tillie, age 13, (my great grandmother)

Daughter
Clara, age 11

Son Joseph,
age 8

Vincinety and
Franciska also lost two infants a daughter Josefa in 1909 and a son Edward in 1911.

The 1914 City of Erie Directory. Vincent and son William, shown as Boleslaus, are on the left hand page in the upper portion of the second column.

By 1914 the
family was well established in the Erie community. They were members of St.
Stanislaus Church. Both Vincinety and
William were working as laborers. The 1910 census indicates that both Vincinety
was able to read and write English. Franciska is recorded as speaking Polish.

After
hearing the news that war had been declared the younger children may not have
understood the impact. It is also difficult to know how this knowledge
resonated with the older sons – William, John and Gustave. Vincinety and Franciska
would have understood that if they were still living in Prussia their oldest
sons would very likely have been serving in the Army. The couple would also
have had perspective on potential impacts to their hometown. They may have been
worried about the family members they had not seen in 19 years. They would have
realized their nephews of age were likely serving in the Army on their way into
battle.

It is currently
unknown and it may never be known how much contact the couple had with their European family
members. Edward Zelazny [son of
Catherine Bukowski & Joseph Zelazny,
grandson of Vincinety Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski] had a few old photographs
he believed were from the European relatives. These images were black and
whites. The photographs appear to have been taken after Vincinety &
Franciska were living in Pennsylvania. The dates and the people in the photographs
are unknown.

Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates,
1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department
of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Record for Zelazny, Frank

Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates,
1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department
of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Record for Bukowski, Josefa

Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates,
1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department
of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Record for Bukowski, Edward